It's my job to protect you
by HumanGuineapig
Summary: Kitten-fic Tugger and Munkustrap go down to the river, which has frozen over. Tugger suggests something which could get them both killed. Tugger finds out what length his big brother would go to to save him, even if it costs Munkustrap his life. 1-shot


Okay, this is sort of a memory that ties in with a scene from one of my other stories 'Obsession', basically it's just a fluffy one-shot between Tugger and Munkus. Tugger learns how much his brother cares for him, that he'd do anything to protect him, even if it costs Munkustrap his own life.

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"C'mon, Munksy!" Tugger whined as they ran through the long grass.

"Shut up!" Munkustrap growled. "You're taller than me; I can't see where I'm going!" Tugger laughed as he found his peeved older brother. They walked down the river bank, through the melting snow.

"Thanks for coming with me, Munkus," Tugger said a little while later. Munkustrap looked at his baby brother in surprise. Tugger was about four months old, his large mane looked comical on his small body. Tugger looked at Munkustrap, who was about 6 months old, a fluffy silver tabby with black stripes.

"I thought Macavity woulda come," Tugger said bitterly. Munkustrap sighed and smiled at his little brother.

"Just me and you today, Rums," Munkustrap told him. Tugger grinned and bounced ahead.

"Macavity always follows ya everywhere, Munkus," Tugger said. Munkustrap looked at him.

"Yeah, I know," Munkustrap murmured. "Today is our day though, Rums, just forget about him," They both sat down under the base of a tree, curling around one another to keep warm in the melting snow.

"I don't like him, Munkus," Tugger said. Munkustrap looked down at him.

"He hurts me," Tugger muttered. Munkustrap frowned.

"When does he hurt you?" Munkustrap asked.

"When ya not around," Tugger answered. Munkustrap cuddled his little brother.

"I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore, Rums," Munkustrap told him, angry that Macavity had been hurting his little brother.

"Let's play, Munkus!" Tugger said brightly, pouncing to his feet. Tugger walked over to the frozen-over river.

"Don't walk on it, Tugger!" Munkustrap warned, sitting up. Tugger looked back.

"It looks strong enough, Munksy," Tugger said. "C'mon, we'll walk onto the other side," Munkustrap stood up.

"I don't know," Munkustrap said hesitantly. "Jenny always tells us not to walk on the ice," Tugger rolled his eyes and leapt up onto the ice.

"Stop bein' a wuss, Munkus," Tugger said as he walked further onto the ice. "Be like Growltiger, he was neva afraid!" Munkustrap cautiously walked to the edge of the ice.

"Growltiger is a story that Gus tells us, Tugs!" Munkustrap said, nervously testing the ice with one of his paws.

"Be like-a Skimbleshanks then," Tugger said. "He travels on trains and he fights Pollicles to impress Jenny," Munkustrap rolled his eyes.

"So he says," Munkustrap muttered.

"C'mon, Munksy!" Tugger laughed. "Then you can go tell Macavity that you're braver den him!" Munkustrap tilted his head, smiling at his little brother.

"Thought I already was," Munkustrap said.

"Not if you don't…WHOA!" Tugger screamed as the ice under his feet broke away.

"TUGGER!" Munkustrap screamed as his brother fell into the icy water. Munkustrap leapt across the ice and grabbed his struggling brother, yanking him out of the water and tossing him aside. Tugger rolled off the edge of the ice and onto the river bank. The ice under Munkustrap broke, sending him plunging into the icy cold waters. Munkustrap swam upwards, gasping for breath as his head broke the surface of the water. Munkustrap grabbed the edge of the ice, his claws digging onto the surface of it. Tugger shook himself and stood up, his brown eyes widening as he caught sight of Munkustrap, struggling to stay attached to the ice.

"MUNKUS!" Tugger screamed and went to run back onto the ice.

"Go get Skimble, Tugger!" Munkustrap yelled. "I can hang on, go get Skimble!" Tugger nodded and tore off back towards the junkyard. He ran into Jenny's den, where Skimble was talking to her, trying to flirt. Skimbleshanks was a younger Tom, slightly muscled. Skimble was known as the railway cat. Skimble and Jenny, the young Gumbie cat, looked up as he ran in.

"Why you all wet, lad?" Skimble asked when he saw Tugger.

"I fell through the ice and Munkus saved me," Tugger panted. "He needs help Skimble, he can't hold on!" Skimble grabbed Tugger's shoulders.

"Where is Munkustrap, lad?" Skimble asked.

"Down the river, he fell through the ice when he saved me!" Tugger rushed. Skimble bolted from the den. Tugger went to run after him but Jennyanydots grabbed him.

"Nah uh uh," She told him, wrapping him in thick blankets. "You're cold enough as it is," Tugger looked up at Jenny.

"Munkus is gonna be alright, right?" He whimpered. Jenny nodded, though her eyes were unsure.

"Skimble will bring him back, dear," Jenny murmured as she began to warm up some milk. Tugger soon began to warm up and Jenny pushed a cup of warm milk into his paws.

"Drink it," She told him. Tugger did as he was told. He nervously kept glancing at the doorway to Jenny's den, waiting for Skimbleshanks.

"Where are they, Jenny?" Tugger whimpered as time passed. Jenny sighed and hugged him close.

"They'll be back soon, dear." Jenny reassured him. Tugger's shivering finally stopped. He looked at the doorway when he heard Jenny's gasp. Skimbleshanks was entering Jenny's den, hanging limp from Skimble's mouth by the scruff of his neck was Munkustrap. He wasn't moving. Munkustrap was soaking wet, his eyes closed as he shivered violently, his wet tail dragging lightly against the ground. Skimble set him down and quickly set about grooming him so he would dry quicker. Tugger looked at his brother, his brown eyes wide with shock. Munkustrap almost looked blue as he remained still as Skimble groomed him. Jenny quickly wrapped blanket after blanket around Munkustrap once Skimble had finished. Munkustrap was still shivering violently.

"He fell in when I got there," Skimble murmured as he tried to dry off his wet arm. "He slipped under the surface, I had to fish for him," Jenny hugged Skimble.

"Thank goodness you were there, Skimble," She told him. Skimble blushed slightly. Tugger focused his attention back on Munkustrap when he gave a low groan. Jenny was instantly at his side. Munkustrap's hazel eyes fluttered open as he squirmed around in his cocoon of blankets.

"Shh, Munkustrap, you're alright," Jenny soothed as Munkustrap whimpered.

"T-Tugger?" Munkustrap asked, his teeth chattering together.

"See for yourself," Jenny said, nodding to Tugger who crawled over.

"Y-Y-You alright, Rums?" Munkustrap asked. Tugger nodded. Munkustrap looked at him, his shivering beginning to subside.

"Good," Munkustrap murmured. Skimble sat Munkustrap up as Jenny approached with a cup of warm milk. Skimble helped Munkustrap to drink it. When Munkustrap had finished, Skimble took the cup away from his lips, which were beginning to return to their normal colour. Jenny left to find Deuteronomy and tell him what had happened.

"Why ya do it, Munkus?" Tugger asked Munkustrap. Munkustrap sleepily opened his eyes and looked at Tugger.

"Do what?" He yawned.

"Save me…ya almost died," Tugger said. Munkustrap looked at him.

"You're my brother, Rums," Munkustrap murmured. "It's my job to protect you," Tugger curled up against his side. Munkustrap managed to extract one of his arms from the blankets so he could wrap it around Tugger.

"I couldn't let my baby brother die," Munkustrap murmured in his ear. Tugger cuddled closer.

"Ya couldn't?" Tugger asked sleepily. Munkustrap shook his head.

"I could never lose you, Rums…no matter what I'll be there to protect you," Munkustrap murmured, closing his eyes. When Deuteronomy and Jenny returned they found Munkustrap and Tugger fast asleep, cuddled against one another. Jenny gave a smile when she saw Skimble watching over the two boys. The kittens stirred as their father entered. Deuteronomy knelt beside them.

"How did this happen?" Deuteronomy asked gently. Tugger looked down at the floor, ashamed.

"It was my fault," Tugger looked up in surprise as Munkustrap said that. Deuteronomy looked at Munkustrap.

"I thought the ice looked strong enough to cross...Tugger stepped on a weak spot," Munkustrap lied. Deuteronomy sighed.

"That was foolish, Munkustrap, I expected better," Deuteronomy told him. Munkustrap bowed his head. "Get some rest," Deuteronomy said as he stood.

"Why'd ya lie?" Tugger whispered to Munkustrap. Munkustrap smiled at Tugger.

"Cause you're my baby brother, I need to protect you..." Munkustrap whispered back. Deuteronomy, Skimble and Jenny watched as the kittens went back to sleep.

"You do know that Munkustrap was lying, don't you?" Jenny asked Deuteronomy once the two brothers were asleep. Deuteronomy smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Munkustrap would never do anything that would jeopardise Tugger's life," Deuteronomy murmured. "Munkustrap will protect him...no matter what,"

"Munkustrap will always be there for his little brother," Skimble said quietly. "Even if it costs him his own life," Deuteronomy looked at Skimble.

"He could be the Protector?" Deuteronomy asked. Skimble nodded, looking back to the sleeping brothers.

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My first attempt at fluffy-ish…

The scene that this is based from hasn't been uploaded yet as of the 17/06/10…it should be up in a matter of days though.

Please read and review!

Luv HGP


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